Youth Counselor Oksana Knjaz: “None of us has to handle everything on our own!”
Every young person has their own story, questions, and challenges. Sometimes, all it takes to move forward is for someone to help them clarify their thoughts and identify possible solutions. The youth counselors at the Tartu Youth Work Center support young people in precisely these moments, offering them the opportunity to talk about both everyday worries and more complex issues. Let’s meet Oksana Knjaz, a youth counselor working at our Anne House. Who are you and how […]
Design socks for the Tartu Youth Work Center!
The Tartu Youth Work Center’s sock design contest is about to begin! Design socks using the provided sock template. You can find the template here or get a paper copy from your youth worker. You can create your design by hand or digitally. Include your name, contact information, and—if you’d like—a brief explanation of your design. Submit your finished entry by October 25 at the latest to helene.toomeoks@tartu.ee or give it to your youth worker. The winning design will be used to produce real […]
Youth Counselor Kairi Kivaste: “My job is to listen and provide guidance, together with the young person”
There are times in a young person’s life when they don’t have to face their thoughts, worries, or questions alone. The Tartu Youth Work Center employs two youth counselors whom young people can turn to when they need someone to listen, help them make sense of a situation, and work together to find possible solutions.Youth counselors also provide support to youth workers and help identify and resolve situations where a young person may need […]
Tartu, the Youth Capital, Opens a New Playground at the Anne Youth Center
Today, October 2, at 3:00 p.m., a new playground will open in the courtyard of the Anne Youth Center (Uus 56, Tartu), providing younger visitors with more opportunities for active leisure.The playground is part of a comprehensive plan for the Anne Youth Center’s outdoor area, which is being implemented in stages. In the coming years, the plan is to develop the entire outdoor area to create a diverse activity environment that meets the needs of young people of all ages. In designing the new playground, […]
Summer Work Camp 2026: Friends, First Paychecks, and Experiences That Last a Lifetime
The summer of 2026 at the Tartu Youth Work Camp offered young people much more than just work experience. Feedback collected at the end of the camp clearly highlighted the things the young people valued most: new friends, their first earned paycheck, special experiences, and shared activities. New friends were the biggest win. Camp participants most frequently mentioned the opportunity to meet new people and make new friends. […]
An interactive adventure game titled “The Lost Trail” is being created at the Ilmatsalu Youth Center based on an idea from young people
What happens when you give young people the chance to think for themselves, experiment, build, and actually bring their ideas to life? An interactive adventure game called “The Lost Trail” is currently taking shape in Ilmatsalu, and local youth have been involved in its creation from start to finish. From an idea to an actual game… It all started when some young people stopped by the youth center and complained that there was nothing going on in Ilmatsalu. Instead, […]
A Testimonial from the “Exit Burnout & Recharge” Project
From August 15–21, the Erasmus+ learning mobility program for youth workers, “Exit Burnout & Recharge,” took place in Latvia, with the participation of youth workers from Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania, Greece, Hungary, Bulgaria, Romania, Spain, and Cyprus. Helene, our development manager from the Tartu Youth Work Center, participated in the learning mobility. The focus of the learning mobility was on the well-being of youth workers and the prevention of burnout. Over the course of the week, participants discussed burnout, stress, and self-care, and tried out various practical exercises that […]
"Spring Awakening" by the Youth of Ilmatsalu and Elva
In the second half of April, the Ilmatsalu and Elva Youth Centers held a collaborative project called “Spring Awakening,” which offered young people the opportunity to visit youth centers in two different regions and meet local youth. On April 22, the first meeting took place at the Ilmatsalu Youth Center, where the main focus was on working together. One of the activities was a photo scavenger hunt, which encouraged the young people to observe nature more closely. They looked for details that people usually just walk right past, and it was surprisingly exciting to see how each team solved the tasks in their own unique way. Some focused on creativity, others looked for funny solutions, and in the end, it was exciting to see what everyone had come up with […]
On the Youth Day Organizing Team – Roni’s Experience
On August 12, we celebrate World Youth Day, which the city of Tartu also commemorated this year in collaboration with the Tartu Youth Work Center. You can find a more detailed overview of the Youth Day event we organized here. I spoke with one of the youngest members of the Youth Day organizing team—Robin—who got to try his hand at both event planning and emceeing during the day. Who are you and where are you from? I’m Robin—people also call me Ron—and I’m from Tartu. How […]
Tartu Youth Day 2026
On August 12, 2026, an event celebrating Youth Day—Tartu Youth Day—took place as part of the “Tartu Sumina” festival in Tartu’s Old Town. The event was held on Rüütli Street near St. John’s Church, began at 12:00 p.m., and lasted until 9:15 p.m. In previous years, Youth Day in Tartu has been celebrated on a smaller scale in the courtyard of the Lille Youth Center. This year, however, Tartu is the Estonian Youth Capital, and Youth Day is part of the Estonian Youth Capital […]